UAN issues LifeLine Grant to help with costly vet care; provides tips for avoiding costly emergency vet care

GLASFORD, IL (December 7, 2009) – While he was undergoing two bone marrow transplants to treat a rare genetic disorder and bone marrow failure, Taylor Owens dreamed of having a puppy when he recovered. His dream came true, but was nearly dashed last week when the puppy, Lucky, broke his leg in a household accident and his family couldn’t afford the lifesaving care needed to repair it.

A patient at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Taylor Owens cuddles his dog, Lucky, who received lifesaving surgery thanks to support from a local vet clinic and a LifeLine Grant from UAN.

Lucky’s life was spared after United Animal Nations (UAN), a national animal protection nonprofit based in California, awarded a grant to help Taylor’s family pay for Lucky’s surgery. Taylor ’s mother, Rebecca Ingersoll, cannot work often since she must take her son to St. Jude Children’s ResearchHospital in Memphis,Tennessee regularly, sometimes staying for weeks. Ingersoll contacted several veterinary clinics and was able to reduce the surgery estimate from $1,500 to $500. Yet it was still too much for her struggling family to afford.

“I didn’t know what to do until I found out UAN was willing to help,” Ingersoll said. “After all Taylor had been through, I couldn’t let his puppy suffer because we couldn’t afford to treat him, but there was no way we could afford such costly surgery on our own.”

Upon receiving Ingersoll’s application, UAN staff contacted the Chillicothe Veterinary Clinic and pledged $200 toward Lucky’s $500 surgery. The clinic offered the family a significantly reduced rate and worked late into the night to perform the delicate surgery. They agreed to accept a payment plan for the rest of the bill.

Through its LifeLine Grant program, UAN offers financial assistance to pet owners, Good Samaritans and animal rescuers to help them care for animals in life-threatening situations.

“When I first spoke to Rebecca, I knew that, because of the relationship between Lucky and Taylor, s he was desperate to save Lucky,” said UAN Program Coordinator Esperanza Zuniga. “We were happy that United Animal Nations could help, thanks to the generous donors who support our LifeLine Grant program.”

So far in 2009, UAN has awarded $77,725 in LifeLine Grants to help people pay for lifesaving veterinary care. Applications for LifeLine Grants have increased dramatically during the recession. UAN received 1,854 applications through the third quarter of 2009 – a 15 percent increase over 2008 and a 73 percent increase over 2007.

UAN offers the following tips to help people avoid facing a veterinary emergency they cannot afford:

• Spay and neuter all animals. Many health problems can be prevented by spay or neuter.
• Keep pets indoors. Keep cats indoors at all times and keep dogs on leash when not in a secure area. Use caution when leaving animals unattended, and only leave them unattended in a secure area.
• Practice good routine care. Give necessary vaccinations, heartworm and flea prevention where needed; feed a good quality diet; and provide ample fresh water.
• Contribute to a special savings account for veterinary care. Even $5 per month can add up.
• Keep the number of animals you are responsible for within your means.
• Research the benefits of purchasing a pet health insurance policy.

To learn more about LifeLine or see a comprehensive list of financial resources for veterinary care, visit www.uan.org/lifeline

To support UAN’s efforts to help animals, please make a donation.

United Animal Nations (UAN) focuses on bringing animals out of crisis and strengthening the bond between people and animals through a variety of programs, including emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance and education. Learn more at www.uan.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Alexis Raymond, (916) 429-2457, ext. 314

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